The news that Simon Grayson has begun talks with Sunderland over the vacant manager’s job has been met with mixed reaction by the Black Cats’ supporters.

Grayson, who last season guided Preston North End to 11th in the Championship, has headed up to Wearside to start talks over taking on the role that David Moyes resigned from and Aberdeen’s Derek McInnes turned down.

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But despite Grayson arguably overachieving with Preston this season, the reaction to proposed move north has been met with a lukewarm response.

Liam Sullivan tweeted: “Actually don’t know how to feel about Grayson being manager but then again I guess it’s better than having nobody in charge.”

Jack Waldron was a little more brutal, tweeting: “What a bunch of cowboys we have running our club. Simon Grayson is the best they can come up with. Useless.”

But some fans have seen the positives.

Oscar Brownsword tweeted: “I’d like to put it on record that I’m delighted to see Simon Grayson as #SAFC manager.”

It also came as Ellis Short announced he had scrapped plans to sell the club. In a statement he said: “A defined timeframe was placed on discussions to ensure that the club could move forward quickly and decisively with its plans for the new season should they [plans for a takeover] not come to fruition.

We have concluded these talks and have determined that this proposed sale would not be in the best interests of Sunderland AFC.

“Ellis Short will continue his commitment to the club, both financially and personally, moving forward.”